Consumer Traveler

Bereavement fares are dying

Bereavement fares are dying — As the airline industry revamps its pricing strategy, carriers are scaling back on discounted last-minute fares to close relatives of the dead and dying. No. 3 Delta Air Lines last month dropped so-called bereavement fares for travel in the 48 contiguous states, part of its change to a simplified pricing scheme in which it slashed many of its highest last-minute fares.

These Ã¢â‚¬Å“discountsÃ¢â‚¬Â were never a good deal to begin with. By phasing them out, the carriers are doing us all a favor. — Cje

Computer snafu hits Denver hard — A computer glitch led to delays on 52 United Airlines flights Monday from Denver International Airport – as well as long lines at ticket counters. The computer problem hit as some people were trying to get out of Denver after Sunday’s NBA All-Star Game.

Miles are posting slower and slower — It is not only delays and stopovers that have taught frequent fliers like Mark Kukucka to be patient when they are traveling. Getting mileage credit can also be a character-building experience, especially when it involves airline partners like hotels, car rental businesses or credit card companies. Many travelers are finding that their mileage credit is being awarded at a glacial pace.

The only survey that matters — WhatÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s the best way to get your airlineÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s attention? Write a letter? Call? Send an e-mail? No, believe it or not, thereÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s one effective way to gripe: the in-flight survey. Everything else is just hot air. What you donÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t know about these polls might surprise you.

Crooked agent has long track record — A Florida travel agent accused of scamming dozens of Eagles fans out of Super Bowl tickets is a convicted felon who recently finished a 15-month prison term for stealing $370,000 from a youth organization that planned a trip to see the pope. In fact, Thomas Allen Hastings, who was released from a federal prison in March 2004, is barred from selling travel packages as a condition of his three-year probation, court records show.

Getting a view with the room — Chris Huban thought the $95-a-night room rate he found at the Westin Chicago River North hotel on Hotwire.com was too good to be true. When he checked in, he found out why. Huban, a sales manager based in Abington, Mass., was issued the keys to a room that smelled of cigarette smoke and had a smaller bed than he wanted.

Cabbies sue St. Louis airport over fees — Taxicabs that operate only at Lambert Field pay 20 times more for annual licenses to the Metropolitan Taxicab Commission than competitors that operate throughout the St. Louis region. And the airport cabs – 230 of them – are barred from even picking up a return fare at a hotel or other off-airport location.

Join Travelers United

Join the only non-profit organization that represents all travelers.

KEY BENEFITS

✓ Representation in Washington -- and beyond. We're advocating for you every day.